Illumination optical assembly, exposure device, and device manufacturing method

ABSTRACT

There is provided an illumination optical system for illuminating an illumination objective surface. The illumination optical system includes a first spatial light modulator which has a plurality of optical elements arranged on a first plane, a polarizing member which is arranged in an optical path on an illumination objective surface side with respect to the first plane and which gives a polarization state change to a first light beam passes through a first area in a plane intersecting an optical axis of the illumination optical system, the polarization state change being different from a polarization state change given to a second light beam passes through a second area in the intersecting plane, and a second spatial light modulator which has a plurality of optical elements controlled individually and arranged on a second plane, and which variably forms a light intensity distribution on an illumination pupil of the illumination optical system.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an illumination optical system, anexposure apparatus, and a method for producing a device.

BACKGROUND ART

In a typical exposure apparatus of this type, the light, which isradiated from a light source, forms, via a fly's-eye lens as an opticalintegrator, a secondary light source as a substantial surface lightsource composed of a large number of light sources (in general, apredetermined light intensity distribution on an illumination pupil). Inthe following description, the light intensity distribution, which isprovided on the illumination pupil, is referred to as “pupil intensitydistribution”. Further, the illumination pupil is defined as theposition which makes the illumination objective surface (plane) theFourier transform plane of the illumination pupil by the aid of theaction of the optical system disposed between the illumination pupil andthe illumination objective surface (plane) (mask or wafer in the case ofthe exposure apparatus).

The light, which comes from the secondary light source, is collected bya condenser optical system, and then illuminates a mask, on which apredetermined pattern is formed, in a superimposed (overlaid) manner.The light, which is transmitted through the mask, forms an image on awafer via a projection optical system, and the mask pattern is projectedand exposed (transferred) onto the wafer. The pattern, which is formedon the mask, is fine and minute. In order to correctly transfer the finepattern onto the wafer, it is indispensable to obtain a uniformilluminance distribution on the wafer.

Conventionally, it has been suggested a technique in which an annular(circular zonal) or multi-pole-shaped secondary light source (pupilintensity distribution) is formed on an illumination pupil defined on aback focal plane of a fly's-eye lens or in the vicinity thereof by theaction of an aperture diaphragm which is equipped with a wavelengthplate and which is arranged just downstream from the fly's-eye lens, andthe setting is made such that the light beam (luminous flux), whichpasses through the secondary light source, is in a linear polarizationstate in which the circumferential direction is the polarizationdirection (hereinafter abbreviated and referred to as “circumferentialdirection (azimuthal direction) polarization state”) (see, for example,Patent Document 1).

PRECEDING TECHNICAL DOCUMENT Patent Document

-   Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3246615.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention

In order to realize the illumination condition suitable to faithfullytransfer fine patterns having various forms, it is desired to improvethe degree of freedom in the change of the shape (broad conceptincluding the size) of the pupil intensity distribution and the changeof the polarization state. However, in the case of the conventionaltechnique described in Patent Document 1, it has been impossible tochange the shape of the pupil intensity distribution and thepolarization state except if the aperture diaphragm equipped with thewavelength plate is exchanged.

The present invention has been made taking the foregoing problem intoconsideration, an object of which is to provide an illumination opticalsystem having a high degree of freedom in the change of the polarizationstate. Another object of the present invention is to provide an exposureapparatus and a method for producing a device which make it possible tocorrectly transfer a fine pattern to a photosensitive substrate under anadequate illumination condition by using the illumination optical systemhaving the high degree of freedom in the change of the polarizationstate.

Solution to the Problem

According to a first aspect, there is provided an illumination opticalsystem for illuminating an illumination objective surface with lightfrom a light source, the illumination optical system including, a firstspatial light modulator which has a plurality of optical elementsarranged on a first plane and controlled individually; a polarizingmember which is arranged in an optical path on an illumination objectivesurface side with respect to the first plane and which gives a change ofa polarization state to a first light beam passes through a first areain a plane intersecting an optical axis of the illumination opticalsystem, the change of the polarization state being different from achange of the polarization state given to a second light beam passesthrough a second area in the intersecting plane, the second area beingdifferent from the first area; and a second spatial light modulatorwhich has a plurality of optical elements controlled individually andarranged on a second plane in the optical path on the illuminationobjective surface side with respect to the first plane or in an opticalpath on a light source side with respect to the first plane, and whichvariably forms a light intensity distribution on an illumination pupilof the illumination optical system.

According to a second aspect, there is provided an exposure apparatusincluding the illumination optical system of the first aspect forilluminating a predetermined pattern, wherein a photosensitive substrateis exposed with the predetermined pattern.

According to a third aspect, there is provided a method for producing adevice, including, exposing the photosensitive substrate with thepredetermined pattern by using the exposure apparatus of the secondaspect, developing the photosensitive substrate to which thepredetermined pattern is transferred so that a mask layer, which has ashape corresponding to the predetermined pattern, is formed on a surfaceof the photosensitive substrate; and processing the surface of thephotosensitive substrate via the mask layer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically shows a construction of an exposure apparatusaccording to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a construction and a function of a spatial lightmodulator for pupil formation.

FIG. 3 shows a partial perspective view illustrating main parts orcomponents of the spatial light modulator.

FIG. 4 illustrates a construction and a function of a spatial lightmodulator for polarization sorting.

FIG. 5 schematically shows a construction of a polarizing member of theembodiment.

FIG. 6 shows a situation in which an effective reflection area of thespatial light modulator for polarization sorting is virtually dividedinto five partial areas.

FIG. 7 shows a situation in which an effective reflection area of thespatial light modulator for pupil formation is virtually divided intofive partial areas.

FIG. 8 shows a nine pole-shaped pupil intensity distribution obtained byadding a center pole surface light source to an eight pole-shaped pupilintensity distribution in a circumferential direction polarizationstate.

FIG. 9 shows an annular pupil intensity distribution in acircumferential direction polarization state.

FIG. 10 shows a nine pole-shaped pupil intensity distribution obtainedby adding a center pole surface light source to an eight pole-shapedpupil intensity distribution in a radial direction polarization state.

FIG. 11 schematically shows a construction of a polarizing memberaccording to a first modified embodiment.

FIG. 12 shows an annular pupil intensity distribution of asixteen-division type (divided into sixteen) in a circumferentialdirection polarization state.

FIG. 13 schematically shows a construction of a polarizing memberaccording to a second modified embodiment.

FIG. 14 schematically shows a construction of a polarizing memberaccording to a third modified embodiment.

FIG. 15 schematically shows a construction of a polarizing memberaccording to a fourth modified embodiment.

FIG. 16 shows a first modified embodiment concerning the arrangementrelationship between a spatial light modulator for polarization sorting,a polarizing member, and a spatial light modulator for pupil formation.

FIG. 17 shows a second modified embodiment concerning the arrangementrelationship between a spatial light modulator for polarization sorting,a polarizing member, and a spatial light modulator for pupil formation.

FIG. 18 shows a flow chart illustrating steps of producing asemiconductor device.

FIG. 19 shows a flow chart illustrating steps of producing a liquidcrystal device such as a liquid crystal display element or the like.

EMBODIMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

An embodiment will be explained below on the basis of the accompanyingdrawings. FIG. 1 schematically shows a construction of an exposureapparatus according to the embodiment. With reference to FIG. 1, the Zaxis is set in the normal direction of a transfer surface (exposuresurface) of a wafer W which is a photosensitive substrate, the Y axis isset in the direction parallel to the paper surface of FIG. 1 in thetransfer surface of the wafer W, and the X axis is set in the directionperpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1 in the transfer surface ofthe wafer W.

With reference to FIG. 1, in the exposure apparatus of this embodiment,the exposure light (illumination light) is supplied from a light sourceLS. For example, an ArF excimer laser light source for supplying thelight having a wavelength of 193 nm and a KrF excimer laser light sourcefor supplying the light having a wavelength of 248 nm can be used as thelight source LS. The light, which is allowed to outgo in the +Zdirection from the light source LS, comes into a spatial light modulator2 for polarization sorting (polarization classifying) via a beam sendingunit 1. The light, which is allowed to outgo in the oblique directionvia the spatial light modulator 2, comes into a spatial light modulator4 for pupil formation (pupil generation) via a re-imaging optical system3 composed of a front side lens group 3 a and a back side lens group 3b.

A polarizing member 5 is arranged at the pupil position of there-imaging optical system 3 or in the vicinity thereof. The beam sendingunit 1 has such a function that the incoming light beam from the lightsource LS is guided to the spatial light modulators 2, 4 whileconverting the incoming light beam into the light beam having a crosssection with an adequate size and shape, and that actively corrects theposition fluctuation and the angle fluctuation of the light beam allowedto come into the spatial light modulators 2, 4. The beam sending unit 1may be constructed such that the incoming light beam from the lightsource LS is not converted into the light beam having the cross sectionwith the adequate size and shape.

As described later on, the spatial light modulators 2, 4 have aplurality of mirror elements which are aligned in a predetermined planeand which are individually controlled, and a driving unit whichindividually controls and drives the attitudes of the plurality ofmirror elements on the basis of a control signal supplied from a controlsystem CR. The polarizing member 5 has a plurality of ½ wavelengthplates which are arranged in a parallel manner and which have mutuallydifferent polarizing functions (polarizing actions). The constructionsand the functions of the spatial light modulators 2, 4 and thepolarizing member 5 will be described later on.

The light, which is allowed to outgo in the +Z direction from thespatial light modulator 4, comes into a pupil plane 6 c of a relayoptical system 6 via a front side lens group 6 a of the relay opticalsystem 6. The front side lens group 6 a is set so that the front focalposition thereof is substantially coincident with the position of thearrangement plane of the plurality of mirror elements of the spatiallight modulator 4 (hereinafter referred to as “arrangement plane of thespatial light modulator”) and the back focal position thereof issubstantially coincident with the position of the pupil plane 6 c. Asdescribed later on, the light, which passes through the spatial lightmodulator 4, variably forms, on the pupil plane 6 c, the light intensitydistribution corresponding to the attitudes of the plurality of mirrorelements. The light, which forms the light intensity distribution on thepupil plane 6 c, comes into a relay optical system 7 via a back sidelens group 6 b of the relay optical system 6.

The light, which passes through the relay optical system 7, is reflectedin the +Y direction by an optical path bending mirror MR1, and thereflected light comes into a micro fly's-eye lens (or a fly's-eye lens)8. The back side lens group 6 b and the relay optical system 7 set thepupil plane 6 c and the incident surface or incoming surface of themicro fly's-eye lens 8 to be optically conjugate. Therefore, the light,which passes through the spatial light modulator 4, forms the lightintensity distribution corresponding to the light intensity distributionformed on the pupil plane 6 c, on the incident surface of the microfly's-eye lens 8 arranged at the position optically conjugate with thepupil plane 6 c.

The micro fly's-eye lens 8 is the optical element which is composed of,for example, a large number of micro lenses having the positiverefractive power arranged densely in the longitudinal and lateraldirections. The micro fly's-eye lens 8 is constructed by forming a microlens group by applying the etching treatment to a plane-parallel plate.In the micro fly's-eye lens, a large number of micro lenses (microrefracting surfaces) are formed integrally without being isolated fromeach other, unlike any fly's-eye lens composed of mutually isolated lenselements. However, the micro fly's-eye lens is the optical integrator ofthe wavefront division type like the fly's-eye lens in that the lenselements are arranged longitudinally and laterally.

The rectangular micro refracting surface, which serves as the unitwavefront dividing surface of the micro fly's-eye lens 8, has therectangular shape which is similar to the shape of the illuminationfield to be formed on the mask M (consequently the shape of the exposurearea to be formed on the wafer W). For example, a cylindrical microfly's-eye lens can be also used as the micro fly's-eye lens 8. Theconstruction and the function of the cylindrical micro fly's-eye lens isdisclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,373.

The light beam, which is allowed to come into the micro fly's-eye lens8, is divided two-dimensionally by a large number of micro lenses, and asecondary light source (substantial surface light source composed of alarge number of small light sources: pupil intensity distribution),which has approximately the same light intensity distribution as thelight intensity distribution formed on the incident surface, is formedon the back focal plane or the illumination pupil defined in thevicinity thereof. The light beam, which comes from the secondary lightsource formed on the illumination pupil defined just downstream from themicro fly's-eye lens 8, illuminates a mask blind 10 in a superimposedmanner via a condenser optical system 9.

Thus, an illumination field which has a rectangular shape depending onthe focal distance and the shape of the rectangular micro refractingsurface of the micro fly's-eye lens 8, is formed on the mask blind 10 asthe illumination field diaphragm. An illumination aperture diaphragm,which has an aperture (light transmitting portion) having a shapecorresponding to the secondary light source, may be arranged on the backfocal plane of the micro fly's-eye lens 8 or in the vicinity thereof,i.e., at the position approximately optically conjugate with theentrance pupil plane of the projection optical system PL described lateron.

The light beam, which passes through the rectangular aperture (lighttransmitting portion) of the mask blind 10, undergoes the lightcollecting action of an imaging optical system 11, and the light beam isreflected in the −Z direction by a mirror MR2 arranged in the opticalpath of the imaging optical system 11. After that, the light beamilluminates the mask M on which a predetermined pattern is formed, in asuperimposed manner. That is, the imaging optical system 11 forms, onthe mask M, the image of the rectangular aperture of the mask blind 10.

The light beam, which passes through the mask M held on a mask stage MS,forms an image of the mask pattern on the wafer (photosensitivesubstrate) W held on a wafer stage WS, via the projection optical systemPL. In this way, the respective exposure areas of the wafer W aresuccessively exposed with the pattern of the mask M by performing thefull field exposure or the scanning exposure while two-dimensionallycontrolling and driving the wafer stage WS in the plane (XY plane)perpendicular to the optical axis AX of the projection optical systemPL, and consequently two-dimensionally controlling and driving the waferW. When the scanning exposure is performed, for example, the mask stageMS and the wafer stage WS may be driven in the Y direction at a velocityratio corresponding to the magnification of the projection opticalsystem PL.

The exposure apparatus of this embodiment is provided with a first pupilintensity distribution measuring unit DTr which measures the pupilintensity distribution on the exit pupil plane of the illuminationoptical system on the basis of the light allowed to pass through theillumination optical system (1 to 11), a second pupil intensitydistribution measuring unit DTw which measures the pupil intensitydistribution on the pupil plane of the projection optical system PL(exit pupil plane of the projection optical system PL) on the basis ofthe light allowed to pass through the projection optical system PL, anda control system CR which controls the spatial light modulators 2, 4 andwhich controls the operation of the exposure apparatus as a whole on thebasis of the measurement result of at least one of the first and secondpupil intensity distribution measuring units DTr, DTw.

The first pupil intensity distribution measuring unit DTr is providedwith an image pickup unit which has a photoelectric conversion surface(plane) arranged, for example, at a position optically conjugate withthe exit pupil position of the illumination optical system, and thefirst pupil intensity distribution measuring unit DTr monitors the pupilintensity distribution in relation to the respective points on theillumination objective surface to be illuminated by the illuminationoptical system (pupil intensity distribution formed at the exit pupilposition of the illumination optical system by the light allowed to comeinto each of the points). Further, the second pupil intensitydistribution measuring unit DTw is provided with an image pickup unitwhich has a photoelectric conversion surface (plane) arranged, forexample, at a position optically conjugate with the pupil position ofthe projection optical system PL, and the second pupil intensitydistribution measuring unit DTw monitors the pupil intensitydistribution in relation to the respective points on the image plane ofthe projection optical system PL (pupil intensity distribution formed atthe pupil position of the projection optical system PL by the lightallowed to come into each of the points).

Reference can be made, for example, to United States Patent ApplicationPublication No. 2008/0030707 about detailed constructions and functionsof the first and second pupil intensity distribution measuring unitsDTr, DTw. Reference can be also made to the disclosure of United StatesPatent Application Publication No. 2010/0020302 in relation to the pupilintensity distribution measuring unit.

In this embodiment, the mask M arranged on the illumination objectivesurface of the illumination optical system (consequently the wafer W) issubjected to the Koehler illumination by using the light source of thesecondary light source formed by the micro fly's-eye lens 8. Therefore,the position, at which the secondary light source is formed, isoptically conjugate with the position of the aperture diaphragm AS ofthe projection optical system PL. The plane or surface, on which thesecondary light source is formed, can be referred to as the illuminationpupil plane of the illumination optical system. Further, the image ofthe plane (surface) on which the secondary light source is formed can bereferred to as the exit pupil plane of the illumination optical system.Typically, the illumination objective surface (surface or plane on whichthe mask M is arranged, or the surface or plane on which the wafer W isarranged when the illumination optical system is regarded as includingthe projection optical system PL) is the optical Fourier transform plane(surface) with respect to the illumination pupil plane. The pupilintensity distribution is the light intensity distribution (luminancedistribution) on the illumination pupil plane of the illuminationoptical system or the plane (surface) optically conjugate with theillumination pupil plane.

When the number of wavefront division by the micro fly's-eye lens 8 isrelatively large, the macroscopic (broader basis) light intensitydistribution, which is formed on the incident surface of the microfly's-eye lens 8, exhibits the high correlation with respect to themacroscopic (broader basis) light intensity distribution (pupilintensity distribution) of the entire secondary light source. Therefore,the light intensity distribution, which is provided on the incidentsurface of the micro fly's-eye lens 8 or the surface or plane opticallyconjugate with the incident surface concerned, can be also referred toas the pupil intensity distribution. In the construction shown in FIG.1, the relay optical systems 6, 7 and the micro fly's-eye lens 8constitute the means for forming the pupil intensity distribution on theillumination pupil defined just downstream from the micro fly's-eye lens8 on the basis of the light beam allowed to pass through the spatiallight modulator 4.

As shown in FIG. 2, the spatial light modulator 4 for pupil formation isprovided with a plurality of mirror elements 4 a which are aligned orarranged in a predetermined plane, a base 4 b which holds the pluralityof mirror elements 4 a, and a driving unit 4 c which individuallycontrols and drives the attitudes of the plurality of mirror elements 4a via cables (not shown) connected to the base 4 b. In the spatial lightmodulator 4, the attitudes of the plurality of mirror elements 4 a arechanged respectively by the action of the driving unit 4 c operated onthe basis of the instruction from the control system CR, and therespective mirror elements 4 a are set in predetermined directions.

As shown in FIG. 3, the spatial light modulator 4 is provided with aplurality of micro mirror elements 4 a which are alignedtwo-dimensionally, and the spatial light modulator 4 variably gives thespatial modulation to the incident light, the spatial modulationdepending on the incident position of the incident light, and then emitthe modulated light. In order to simplify the explanation and theillustration, FIGS. 2 and 3 show an exemplary construction in which thespatial light modulator 4 is provided with 4×4=16 pieces of the mirrorelements 4 a. However, actually, the spatial light modulator 4 isprovided with a large number of mirror elements 4 a, the number beingmuch larger than sixteen.

With reference to FIG. 2, as for those of the light beam group allowedto come into the spatial light modulator 4, the light beam L1 comes intothe mirror element SEa of the plurality of mirror elements 4 a, and thelight beam L2 comes into the mirror element SEb different from themirror element SEa. Similarly, the light beam L3 comes into the mirrorelement SEc different from the mirror elements SEa, SEb, and the lightbeam L4 comes into the mirror element SEd different from the mirrorelements SEa to SEc. The mirror elements SEa to SEd give the spatialmodulations set depending on the positions thereof, to the light beamsL1 to L4.

The spatial light modulator 4 is constructed such that the light beam,which comes in the direction parallel to the optical axis AX of theoptical path between the spatial light modulators 2 and 4, travels inthe direction parallel to the optical axis AX of the optical pathbetween the spatial light modulator 4 and the relay optical system 6after being reflected by the spatial light modulator 4, in the referencestate in which the reflecting surfaces of all of the mirror elements 4 aare set along one flat surface (plane). As described above, thearrangement plane of the spatial light modulator 4 is positioned at thefront focal position of the front side lens group 6 a of the relayoptical system 6 or in the vicinity thereof.

Therefore, the light beams, which are reflected by the plurality ofmirror elements SEa to SEd of the spatial light modulator 4 and to whichpredetermined angle distributions are given, form predetermined lightintensity distributions SP1 to SP4 on the pupil plane 6 c of the relayoptical system 6, and the light beams consequently form light intensitydistribution corresponding to the light intensity distributions SP1 toSP4 on the incident surface of the micro fly's-eye lens 8. That is, theangles, which are given by the plurality of mirror elements SEa to SEdof the spatial light modulator 4 to the outgoing light, are converted bythe front side lens group 6 a into the positions on the pupil plane 6 cwhich is the far field of the spatial light modulator 4 (Fraunhoferdiffraction area). Thus, the light intensity distribution (pupilintensity distribution) of the secondary light source formed by themicro fly's-eye lens 8 is the distribution corresponding to the lightintensity distribution formed on the incident surface of the microfly's-eye lens 8 by the spatial light modulator 4 and the relay opticalsystems 6, 7.

As shown in FIG. 3, the spatial light modulator 4 is the movablemulti-mirror including the mirror elements 4 a which is the large numberof micro reflecting elements arranged or aligned regularly andtwo-dimensionally along one flat surface or plane in the state in whichthe planar reflecting surfaces are the upper surfaces. The respectivemirror elements 4 a are movable. The inclinations of the reflectingsurfaces thereof, i.e., the angles of inclination and the directions ofinclination of the reflecting surfaces are independently controlled bythe action of the driving unit 4 c operated on the basis of the controlsignal fed from the control system CR. Each of the mirror elements 4 acan be rotated continuously or discretely by a desired angle of rotationabout the rotation axes in the two directions parallel to the reflectingsurface thereof, the two directions being perpendicular to one another.That is, the inclination of the reflecting surface of each of the mirrorelements 4 a can be controlled two-dimensionally.

When the reflecting surface of each of the mirror elements 4 a isrotated discretely, it is appropriate to control the angle of rotationsuch that the angle is switched among a plurality of states (forexample, . . . , −2.5 degrees, −2.0 degrees, . . . , 0 degree, +0.5degree, . . . , +2.5 degrees, . . . ). FIG. 3 shows the mirror elements4 a having square contours. However, the contour shape of the mirrorelement 4 a is not limited to the square. However, in view of the lightutilization efficiency, it is possible to adopt a shape (shape capableof close packing) in which the mirror elements 4 a can be arranged sothat the gap between the mirror elements 4 a is decreased. Further, inview of the light utilization efficiency, the spacing distance betweenthe two adjoining mirror elements 4 a can be suppressed to be minimumrequirement.

In this embodiment, for example, the spatial light modulator, in whichthe directions of the plurality of mirror elements 4 a arrangedtwo-dimensionally are changed continuously respectively, is used as thespatial light modulator 4. As for the spatial light modulator asdescribed above, it is possible to use any spatial light modulatordisclosed, for example, in European Patent Application Publication No.779530, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,867,302, 6,480,320, 6,600,591, 6,733,144,6,900,915, 7,095,546, 7,295,726, 7,424,330, and 7,567,375, United StatesPatent Application Publication No. 2008/0309901, International PatentApplication Publication Nos. WO2010/037476 and WO2010/040506, andJapanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-113437. The directions ofthe plurality of mirror elements 4 a arranged two-dimensionally may becontrolled discretely and in multistage manner.

In the spatial light modulator 4, the attitudes of the plurality ofmirror elements 4 a are changed respectively by the action of thedriving unit 4 c operated in response to the control signal suppliedfrom the control system CR, and the respective mirror elements 4 a areset in the predetermined directions. The light beams, which arereflected at the predetermined angles respectively by the plurality ofmirror elements 4 a of the spatial light modulator 4, form the desiredpupil intensity distribution on the illumination pupil defined justdownstream from the micro fly's-eye lens 8. Further, the desired pupilintensity distribution is also formed at positions of other illuminationpupils optically conjugate with the illumination pupil defined justdownstream from the micro fly's-eye lens 8, i.e., at the pupil positionof the imaging optical system 11 and the pupil position of theprojection optical system PL (position at which the aperture diaphragmAS is arranged).

As described above, the spatial light modulator 4 for pupil formationhas the function to variably form the pupil intensity distribution onthe illumination pupil defined just downstream from the micro fly's-eyelens 8. The relay optical systems 6, 7 constitute the distributionforming optical system which images the far field pattern, which isformed by the plurality of mirror elements 4 a of the spatial lightmodulator 4 in the far field, onto the position conjugate with theillumination pupil defined just downstream from the micro fly's-eye lens8 (incident surface of the micro fly's-eye lens 8 or the vicinitythereof). The distribution forming optical system converts thedistribution in the angle direction of the outgoing light beam from thespatial light modulator 4 into the position distribution on the crosssection of the outgoing light beam from the distribution forming opticalsystem.

The spatial light modulator 2 for polarization sorting is constructed inthe same manner as the spatial light modulator 4 for pupil formation.However, the spatial light modulator 2 for polarization sorting has theaction (function) different from the spatial light modulator 4. In thefollowing description, any explanation duplicate with the explanationabout the spatial light modulator 4 will be omitted, and the spatiallight modulator 2 will be explained while taking notice of the points orfeatures different from those of the spatial light modulator 4. In otherwords, the points or features, which are not especially referred to inrelation to the construction of the spatial light modulator 2, are thesame as or equivalent to those of the construction of the spatial lightmodulator 4.

As shown in FIG. 4, the spatial light modulator 2 is provided with aplurality of mirror elements 2 a which are arranged in a predeterminedplane, a base 2 b which holds the plurality of mirror elements 2 a, anda driving unit 2 c which individually controls and drives the attitudesof the plurality of mirror elements 2 a via cables (not shown) connectedto the base 2 b. In FIG. 4, components or parts ranging from the spatiallight modulator 2 to the polarizing member 5 are shown in a state inwhich the optical axis AX is coincident with the vertical direction inFIG. 4 so that the explanation of the spatial light modulator 4 can beunderstood with ease while making comparison with the spatial opticalmodulator 2.

In the spatial light modulator 2, the attitudes of the plurality ofmirror elements 2 a are changed respectively by the action of thedriving unit 2 c operated on the basis of the instruction from thecontrol system CR, and the respective mirror elements 2 a are set inpredetermined directions. As shown in FIG. 3, the spatial lightmodulator 2 is provided with a plurality of micro mirror elements 2 awhich are arranged two-dimensionally, and the spatial light modulator 2variably gives the spatial modulation to the incident light, the spatialmodulation depending on the incident position of the incident light, andthen emit the modulated light.

With reference to FIG. 4, as for those of the light beam group allowedto come into the spatial light modulator 2, the light beam L11 comesinto the mirror element SEe of the plurality of mirror elements 2 a, andthe light beam L12 comes into the mirror element SEf different from themirror element SEe. Similarly, the light beam L13 comes into the mirrorelement SEg different from the mirror elements SEe, SEf, and the lightbeam L14 comes into the mirror element SEh different from the mirrorelements SEe to SEg. The mirror elements SEe to SEh give the spatialmodulations set depending on the positions thereof, to the light beamsL11 to L14.

The spatial light modulator 2 is constructed such that the light beam,which comes in the direction parallel to the optical axis AX of theoptical path between the beam sending unit 1 and the spatial lightmodulator 2, travels in the direction parallel to the optical axis AX ofthe optical path between the spatial light modulators 2 and 4 afterbeing reflected by the spatial light modulator 2, in the reference statein which the reflecting surfaces of all of the mirror elements 2 a areset along one flat surface (plane). As described above, the polarizingmember 5 is positioned at the position which is in an optical Fouriertransform relation with the arrangement plane of the spatial lightmodulator 2 or in the vicinity thereof.

Therefore, the angles, which are given by the plurality of mirrorelements SEe to SEh of the spatial light modulator 2 to the outgoinglight, are converted by the front side lens group 3 a of the re-imagingoptical system 3 into the positions on the incident surface of thepolarizing member 5 which is the far field of the spatial lightmodulator 2. In this way, the spatial light modulator 2 for polarizationsorting has such a function that the light, which comes into anarbitrary area of the incident surface, is variably guided to a desiredarea on the incident surface of the polarizing member 5 via the frontside lens group 3 a as the relay optical system.

As shown in FIG. 5, the polarizing member 5 is provided with eight ½wavelength plates 51 a, 51 b, 51 c, 51 d which are arranged in aparallel manner in the optical path, and one depolarizer (depolarizingelement) 51 e. For example, the ½ wavelength plates 51 a to 51 d and thedepolarizer 51 e are arranged along a single plane perpendicular to theoptical axis AX. In FIG. 5, in order to make the explanation easier tounderstand, the x direction is set in the direction parallel to the Xdirection in the incident surface of the polarizing member 5, and the zdirection is set in the direction perpendicular to the x direction inthe incident surface of the polarizing member 5.

In the installation condition shown in FIG. 5, as for the pair of ½wavelength plates 51 a, the direction of the optic axis is set so thatwhen the linearly polarized light having the polarization direction inthe x direction (hereinafter referred to as “x direction linearpolarization”) is allowed to come thereinto, the light of z directionlinear polarization, which has the polarization direction in thedirection obtained by rotating the x direction by 90 degrees, i.e., inthe z direction, is allowed to outgo. As for the pair of ½ wavelengthplates 51 b, the direction of the optic axis is set so that when thelight of x direction linear polarization is allowed to come thereinto,the light of x direction linear polarization is allowed to outgo withoutundergoing any change in the polarization direction.

As for the pair of ½ wavelength plates 51 c, the direction of the opticaxis is set so that when the light of x direction linear polarization isallowed to come thereinto, the light of linear polarization, which hasthe polarization direction in the direction obtained by rotating the xdirection by +45 degrees clockwise as viewed in FIG. 5, i.e., in the +45degrees oblique direction, is allowed to outgo. As for the pair of ½wavelength plates 51 d, the direction of the optic axis is set so thatwhen the light of x direction linear polarization is allowed to comethereinto, the light of linear polarization, which has the polarizationdirection in the direction obtained by rotating the x direction by −45degrees (or +135 degrees) clockwise as viewed in FIG. 5, i.e., in the−45 degrees oblique direction, is allowed to outgo.

The arrangement plane of the spatial light modulator 4 for pupilformation is disposed at the position optically conjugate with thearrangement plane of the spatial light modulator 2 for polarizationsorting or in the vicinity thereof with the re-imaging optical system 3intervening therebetween. Therefore, the property of the incoming(incident) light beam allowed to come into the spatial light modulator 4corresponds to the property of the incoming (incident) light beamallowed to come into the spatial light modulator 2. In the followingdescription, in order to make the explanation easier to understand, itis assumed that the parallel light beam of X direction linearpolarization, which has the rectangular cross section, comes into thespatial light modulator 2. That is, the light of x direction linearpolarization comes into the polarizing member 5. The parallel light beamhaving the rectangular cross section comes into the spatial lightmodulator 4.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the effective reflection area R2of the spatial light modulator 2 for polarization sorting is virtuallydivided into five partial areas R2 a, R2 b, R2 c, R2 d, R2 e.Corresponding to the five partial areas R2 a to R2 e, as shown in FIG.7, the effective reflection area R4 of the spatial light modulator 4 forpupil formation is virtually divided into five partial areas R4 a, R4 b,R4 c, R4 d, R4 e. As for the way of virtual division of the effectivereflection areas of the spatial light modulators 2, 4, it is possible toadopt various forms.

The light of X direction linear polarization, which comes into thepartial area R2 a of the spatial light modulator 2, is guided to thepair of ½ wavelength plates 51 a of the polarizing member 5. The guidedlight is converted into the light of z direction linear polarization viathe ½ wavelength plates 51 a, and the converted light arrives at thepartial area R4 a of the spatial light modulator 4. The light of Xdirection linear polarization, which comes into the partial area R2 b ofthe spatial light modulator 2, is guided to the pair of ½ wavelengthplates 51 b of the polarizing member 5. The guided light arrives at thepartial area R4 b of the spatial light modulator 4 in the state of xdirection linear polarization without being subjected to the change ofthe polarization direction via the ½ wavelength plates 51 b.

The light of X direction linear polarization, which comes into thepartial area R2 c of the spatial light modulator 2, is guided to thepair of ½ wavelength plates 51 c of the polarizing member 5. The guidedlight is converted into the light of +45 degrees oblique directionlinear polarization having the polarization direction in the +45 degreesoblique direction via the ½ wavelength plates 51 c, and the convertedlight arrives at the partial area R4 c of the spatial light modulator 4.The light of X direction linear polarization, which comes into thepartial area R2 d of the spatial light modulator 2, is guided to thepair of ½ wavelength plates 51 d of the polarizing member 5. The guidedlight is converted into the light of −45 degrees oblique directionlinear polarization having the polarization direction in the −45 degreesoblique direction via the ½ wavelength plates 51 d, and the convertedlight arrives at the partial area R4 d of the spatial light modulator 4.

The light of X direction linear polarization, which comes into thepartial area R2 e of the spatial light modulator 2, is guided to thedepolarizer 51 e of the polarizing member 5. The guided light isconverted into the light in the non-polarization (depolarized) state viathe depolarizer 51 e, and the converted light arrives at the partialarea R4 e of the spatial light modulator 4. As shown in FIG. 8, thedriving unit 4 c of the spatial light modulator 4 controls the attitudesof the plurality of mirror elements 4 a belonging to the first mirrorelement group S4 a respectively so that the light, which passes throughthe first mirror element group S4 a positioned in the partial area R4 a,is guided to a pair of pupil areas R11 a, R11 b on the illuminationpupil plane defined just downstream from the micro fly's-eye lens 8. Thepair of pupil areas R11 a, R11 b are, for example, the areas spaced inthe X direction with the optical axis AX intervening therebetween.

The driving unit 4 c controls the attitudes of the plurality of mirrorelements 4 a belonging to the second mirror element group S4 brespectively so that the light, which passes through the second mirrorelement group S4 b positioned in the partial area R4 b, is guided to apair of pupil areas R12 a, R12 b on the illumination pupil plane. Thepair of pupil areas R12 a, R12 b are, for example, the areas spaced inthe Z direction with the optical axis AX intervening therebetween. Thedriving unit 4 c controls the attitudes of the plurality of mirrorelements 4 a belonging to the third mirror element group S4 crespectively so that the light, which passes through the third mirrorelement group S4 c positioned in the partial area R4 c, is guided to apair of pupil areas R13 a, R13 b on the illumination pupil plane. Thepair of pupil areas R13 a, R13 b are, for example, the areas spaced inthe direction to form 45 degrees with respect to the +X direction andthe +Z direction with the optical axis AX intervening therebetween.

The driving unit 4 c controls the attitudes of the plurality of mirrorelements 4 a belonging to the fourth mirror element group S4 drespectively so that the light, which passes through the fourth mirrorelement group S4 d positioned in the partial area R4 d, is guided to apair of pupil areas R14 a, R14 b on the illumination pupil plane. Thepair of pupil areas R14 a, R14 b are, for example, the areas spaced inthe direction to form 45 degrees with respect to the −X direction andthe +Z direction with the optical axis AX intervening therebetween. Thedriving unit 4 c controls the attitudes of the plurality of mirrorelements 4 a belonging to the fifth mirror element group S4 erespectively so that the light, which passes through the fifth mirrorelement group S4 e positioned in the partial area R4 e, is guided to asingle pupil area R15 on the illumination pupil plane. The pupil areaR15 is, for example, the area including the optical axis AX.

Thus, the spatial light modulator 4 forms a nine pole-shaped pupilintensity distribution 21 composed of, for example, nine circularsubstantial surface light sources P11 a, P11 b; P12 a, P12 b; P13 a, P13b; P14 a, P14 b; P15 on the illumination pupil defined just downstreamfrom the micro fly's-eye lens 8 on the basis of the parallel light beamhaving the rectangular cross section. The light, which forms the surfacelight sources P11 a, P11 b to occupy the pupil areas R11 a, R11 b, haspassed through the ½ wavelength plates 51 a, and hence the light is theZ direction linear polarization (corresponding to the z direction linearpolarization shown in FIG. 5).

The light, which forms the surface light sources P12 a, P12 b to occupythe pupil areas R12 a, R12 b, has passed through the ½ wavelength plates51 b, and hence the light is the X direction linear polarization(corresponding to the x direction linear polarization shown in FIG. 5).The light, which forms the surface light sources P13 a, P13 b to occupythe pupil areas R13 a, R13 b, has passed through the ½ wavelength plates51 c, and hence the light is the +45 degrees oblique direction linearpolarization having the polarization direction in the direction obtainedby rotating the X direction by +45 degrees clockwise on the papersurface of FIG. 8 (corresponding to the +45 degrees oblique directionlinear polarization shown in FIG. 5).

The light, which forms the surface light sources P14 a, P14 b to occupythe pupil areas R14 a, R14 b, has passed through the ½ wavelength plates51 d, and hence the light is the −45 degrees oblique direction linearpolarization having the polarization direction in the direction obtainedby rotating the X direction by −45 degrees clockwise on the papersurface of FIG. 8 (corresponding to the −45 degrees oblique directionlinear polarization shown in FIG. 5). The light, which forms the surfacelight source P15 to occupy the pupil area R15, has passed through thedepolarizer 51 e, and hence the light is in the non-polarization(depolarized) state.

Thus, the nine pole-shaped pupil intensity distribution 21, obtained byadding the center pole surface light source P15 to the eight pole-shapedpupil intensity distribution in the circumferential direction (azimuthaldirection) polarization state, is formed on the illumination pupildefined just downstream from the micro fly's-eye lens 8 by thecooperating action of the spatial light modulator 2 for polarizationsorting, the polarizing member 5, and the spatial light modulator 4 forpupil formation. Further, the nine pole-shaped pupil intensitydistribution, which corresponds to the pupil intensity distribution 21,is also formed at positions of other illumination pupils opticallyconjugate with the illumination pupil defined just downstream from themicro fly's-eye lens 8, i.e., the pupil position of the imaging opticalsystem 11 and the pupil position of the projection optical system PL(position at which the aperture diaphragm AS is arranged).

Although not shown in the drawings, it is possible to form an eightpole-shaped pupil intensity distribution in the circumferentialdirection polarization state obtained by excluding the center polesurface light source P15 from the nine pole-shaped pupil intensitydistribution 21 shown in FIG. 8 by guiding the light, which comes intothe partial area R2 e of the spatial light modulator 2 to the ½wavelength plates 51 a to 51 d without guiding to the depolarizer 51 e,and guiding the light, which comes into the partial area R4 e of thespatial light modulator 4 to the pupil areas R11 a, R11 b; R12 a, R12 b;R13 a, R13 b; R14 a, R14 b. Alternatively, it is also possible to forman eight pole-shaped pupil intensity distribution in the circumferentialdirection polarization state by guiding the light, which has passedthrough the depolarizer 51 e and the fifth mirror element group S4 e ofthe spatial light modulator 4, for example, to the outside of theillumination optical path so that the light does not contribute to theformation of the illumination pupil.

In general, in the case of the circumferential direction polarizedillumination based on the annular or multi-pole-shaped (for example,four pole-shaped or eight pole-shaped) pupil intensity distribution inthe circumferential direction polarization state, the light, which isradiated onto the wafer W as the final illumination objective surface,is in the polarization state in which the s-polarized light is the maincomponent. In this case, the s-polarized light is the linearly polarizedlight having the polarization direction in the direction perpendicularto the plane of incidence (polarized light having the electric vectorvibrating in the direction perpendicular to the plane of incidence). Theplane of incidence is defined as the plane which includes the lightincident direction and the normal line of the boundary surface at thepoint provided when the light arrives at the boundary surface of themediums (illumination objective surface (plane): surface of the waferW). As a result, in the case of the circumferential direction polarizedillumination, it is possible to improve the optical performance (forexample, the depth of focus) of the projection optical system, and it ispossible to obtain the mask pattern image having the high contrast onthe wafer (photosensitive substrate).

In this embodiment, the spatial light modulator 4 for pupil formation,the spatial light modulator 4 having the large number of mirror elements4 a of which attitudes are controlled individually, is used. Therefore,the degree of freedom is high in relation to the change of the shape(broad concept including the size) of the pupil intensity distribution.For example, by merely controlling the spatial light modulator 4 inaccordance with the instruction from the control system CR, as shown inFIG. 9, an annular pupil intensity distribution 22 in thecircumferential direction polarization state can be formed on theillumination pupil defined just downstream from the micro fly's-eye lens8.

In the example shown in FIG. 9, the light, which has passed through the½ wavelength plates 51 a and the first mirror element group S4 a, isguided to a pair of circular arc-shaped pupil areas R21 a, R21 b on theillumination pupil plane, the areas being spaced in the X direction withthe optical axis AX intervening therebetween, to form substantialsurface light sources P21 a, P21 b. The light, which has passed throughthe ½ wavelength plates 51 b and the second mirror element group S4 b,is guided to a pair of circular arc-shaped pupil areas R22 a, R22 bspaced in the Z direction with the optical axis AX interveningtherebetween to form substantial surface light sources P22 a, P22 b. Thelight, which has passed through the ½ wavelength plates 51 c and thethird mirror element group S4 c, is guided to a pair of circulararc-shaped pupil areas R23 a, R23 b spaced in the direction to form 45degrees with respect to the +X direction and the +Z direction with theoptical axis AX intervening therebetween to form substantial surfacelight sources P23 a, P23 b.

The light, which has passed through the ½ wavelength plates 51 d and thefourth mirror element group S4 d, is guided to a pair of circulararc-shaped pupil areas R24 a, R24 b spaced in the direction to form 45degrees with respect to the −X direction and the +Z direction with theoptical axis AX intervening therebetween to form substantial surfacelight sources P24 a, P24 b. The light, which has passed through thedepolarizer 51 e and the fifth mirror element group S4 e, is guided, forexample, to the outside of the illumination optical path, and the lightdoes not contribute to the formation of the illumination pupil. Thus,the annular pupil intensity distribution 22 in the circumferentialdirection polarization state, which is composed of, for example, theeight circular arc-shaped substantial surface light sources P21 a, P21b; P22 a, P22 b; P23 a, P23 b; P24 a, P24 b, is formed.

It is also possible to allow the light, which comes into the partialarea R2 e of the spatial light modulator 2 to contribute to theformation of the illumination pupil by guiding the light to the ½wavelength plates 51 a to 51 d without guiding to the depolarizer 51 e,and by guiding the light, which comes into the partial area R4 e of thespatial light modulator 4 to the pupil areas R21 a, R21 b; R22 a, R22 b;R23 a, R23 b; R24 a, R24 b. Although not shown in the drawings, thelight, which comes into the partial area R2 e of the spatial lightmodulator 2, may be guided to the central pupil area including theoptical axis AX on the illumination pupil via the depolarizer 51 e. Bydoing so, it is also possible to form a modified annular pupil intensitydistribution obtained by adding the center pole surface light source P15shown in FIG. 8 to the annular pupil intensity distribution 22 in thecircumferential direction polarization state.

In this embodiment, the spatial light modulator 2 for polarizationsorting, the spatial light modulator 2 having the large number of mirrorelements 2 a of which attitudes are individually controlled, is used.Therefore, the degree of freedom is high in relation to the change ofthe polarization state of the pupil intensity distribution. For example,by merely controlling the spatial light modulator 2 in accordance withthe instruction from the control system CR, as shown in FIG. 10, it ispossible to form a nine pole-shaped pupil intensity distribution 23obtained by adding a center pole surface light source P35 to an eightpole-shaped pupil intensity distribution in the radial directionpolarization state on the illumination pupil defined just downstreamfrom the micro fly's-eye lens 8.

In the example shown in FIG. 10, the light, which comes from the partialarea R2 a of the spatial light modulator 2, passes through the ½wavelength plates 51 b of the polarizing member 5 and the first mirrorelement group S4 a of the spatial light modulator 4, and the light isguided to a pair of pupil areas R31 a, R31 b on the illumination pupilplane, the pupil areas being spaced in the X direction with the opticalaxis AX intervening therebetween, to form substantial surface lightsources P31 a, P31 b. The light, which comes from the partial area R2 bof the spatial light modulator 2, passes through the ½ wavelength plates51 a and the second mirror element group S4 b, and the light is guidedto a pair of pupil areas R32 a, R32 b on the illumination pupil plane,the pupil areas being spaced in the Z direction with the optical axis AXintervening therebetween, to form substantial surface light sources P32a, P32 b.

The light, which comes from the partial area R2 c of the spatial lightmodulator 2, passes through the ½ wavelength plates 51 d and the thirdmirror element group S4 c, and the light is guided to a pair of pupilareas R33 a, R33 b on the illumination pupil plane, the pupil areasbeing spaced in the direction to form 45 degrees with respect to the −Xdirection and the +Z direction with the optical axis AX interveningtherebetween, to form substantial surface light sources P33 a, P33 b.The light, which comes from the partial area R2 d of the spatial lightmodulator 2, passes through the ½ wavelength plates 51 c and the fourthmirror element group S4 d, and the light is guided to a pair of pupilareas R34 a, R34 b on the illumination pupil plane, the pupil areasbeing spaced in the direction to form 45 degrees with respect to the +Xdirection and the +Z direction with the optical axis AX interveningtherebetween, to form substantial surface light sources P34 a, P34 b.

The light, which comes from the partial area R2 e of the spatial lightmodulator 2, passes through the depolarizer 51 e and the fifth mirrorelement group S4 e, and the light is guided to the central pupil areaR35 including the optical axis AX on the illumination pupil plane toform a substantial surface light source P35. Thus, the nine pole-shapedpupil intensity distribution 23 obtained by adding the center polesurface light source P35 to the eight pole-shaped pupil intensitydistribution in the radial direction polarization state composed of, forexample, the eight circular substantial surface light sources P31 a, P31b; P32 a, P32 b; P33 a, P33 b; P34 a, P34 b.

Although not shown in the drawings, the light, which comes into thepartial area R2 e of the spatial light modulator 2, may be guided to the½ wavelength plates 51 a to 51 d without being guided to the depolarizer51 e, and the light, which comes into the partial area R4 e of thespatial light modulator 4, may be guided to the pupil areas R31 a, R31b; R32 a, R32 b; R33 a, R33 b; R34 a, R34 b. By doing so, it is possibleto form an eight pole-shaped pupil intensity distribution in the radialdirection polarization state obtained by excluding the center polesurface light source P35 from the nine pole-shaped pupil intensitydistribution 23 shown in FIG. 10. Alternatively, the light, which haspassed through the depolarizer 51 e and the fifth mirror element groupS4 e of the spatial light modulator 4, may be guided, for example, tothe outside of the illumination optical path so that the light does notcontribute to the formation of the illumination pupil. By doing so, itis also possible to form an eight pole-shaped pupil intensitydistribution in the radial direction polarization state.

Although not shown in the drawings, an annular pupil intensitydistribution in the radial direction polarization state, and a modifiedannular pupil intensity distribution, which is obtained by adding thecenter pole surface light source to the annular pupil intensitydistribution in the radial direction polarization state, can be formedon the illumination pupil defined just downstream from the microfly's-eye lens 8 by controlling the spatial light modulator 4 inaccordance with the instruction from the control system CR.

In general, in the case of the radial direction polarized illuminationbased on the annular or multi-pole-shaped pupil intensity distributionin the radial direction polarization state, the light, which is radiatedonto the wafer W as the final illumination objective surface, is in thepolarization state in which the p-polarized light is the main component.In this case, the p-polarized light is the linearly polarized lighthaving the polarization direction in the direction parallel to the planeof incidence defined as described above (polarized light having theelectric vector vibrating in the direction parallel to the plane ofincidence). As a result, in the case of the radial direction polarizedillumination, the reflectance of the light can be suppressed to be smallon the resist with which the wafer W is coated, and it is possible toobtain the satisfactory image of the mask pattern on the wafer(photosensitive substrate).

As described above, in this embodiment, the spatial light modulator 4for pupil formation, the spatial light modulator 4 having the largenumber of mirror elements 4 a of which attitudes are individuallycontrolled, is used. Therefore, the degree of freedom is high inrelation to the change of the shape (broad concept including the size)of the pupil intensity distribution, and it is possible to form theannular or multi-pole-shaped pupil intensity distributions havingvarious forms. Further, those used are the spatial light modulator 2 forpolarization sorting, the spatial light modulator 2 having the largenumber of mirror elements 2 a of which attitudes are individuallycontrolled and being arranged at the position optically conjugate withthe spatial light modulator 4, and the polarizing member 5 which has theplurality of wavelength plates 51 a to 51 e arranged in the parallelmanner at the position in an optical Fourier transform relation with thespatial light modulator 2 and having the mutually different polarizationconversion characteristics. Therefore, the degree of freedom is high inrelation to the change of the polarization states of the respectivepupil areas for constructing the pupil intensity distribution, and it ispossible to form the pupil intensity distributions having variouspolarization states.

That is, in the case of the illumination optical system (1 to 11) ofthis embodiment, it is possible to provide the high degree of freedomregarding the change of the shape and the polarization state of thepupil intensity distribution formed on the illumination pupil definedjust downstream from the micro fly's-eye lens 8 without involving theexchange of the optical member. In the case of the exposure apparatus (1to WS) of this embodiment, it is possible to correctly transfer the finepattern to the wafer W under the adequate illumination conditionrealized in accordance with the characteristic of the pattern of themask M to be transferred by using the illumination optical system (1 to11) having the high degree of freedom regarding the change of the shapeand the polarization state of the pupil intensity distribution.

In the embodiment described above, the control system CR can beconstructed by using, for example, a so-called work station (or amicrocomputer) composed of, for example, CPU (central processing unit),ROM (read only memory), and RAM (random access memory), and the controlsystem CR can control the entire apparatus as a whole. Further, thecontrol system CR may be externally connected with a storage devicecomposed of, for example, a hard disk, an input device including, forexample, a keyboard and a pointing device such as a mouse or the like, adisplay device including, for example a CRT display (or a liquid crystaldisplay), and a drive device for an information storage mediumincluding, for example, CD (compact disc), DVD (digital versatile disc),MO (magneto-optical disc), and FD (flexible disc).

In this embodiment, the storage device may be stored, for example, withthe information regarding the pupil intensity distribution (illuminationlight source shape) by which the imaging state of the projection imageprojected onto the wafer W by the projection optical system PL isoptimized (for example, the aberration or the line width is within theallowable range), and the control information for the illuminationoptical system, especially the mirror elements of the spatial lightmodulators 2, 4 corresponding thereto. An information storage medium(referred to as “CD-ROM” for the purpose of convenience in the followingexplanation), in which the programs or the like for performing a settingof the pupil intensity distribution as described later on are stored,may be set to the drive device. It is also allowable that the programsas described above may be installed to the storage device. The controlsystem CR appropriately reads the programs onto the memory.

The control system CR can control the spatial light modulators 2, 4, forexample, in accordance with the following procedure. In the followingexplanation, it is assumed that the exposure apparatus of the embodimentforms the pupil intensity distribution 21 shown in FIG. 8. The pupilintensity distribution can be expressed, for example, in such a form(bit-map form in a broad sense) that the pupil intensity distribution isexpressed as numerical values using the light intensity and thepolarizing state of each compartment, each compartment being obtained bydividing the pupil plane into a plurality of compartments in a latticeform. It is now assumed that the number of mirror elements of thespatial light modulator 4 is N and the number of divided compartments ofthe pupil intensity distribution is M. On this assumption, the pupilintensity distribution (secondary light source) is formed (set) byappropriately combining N pieces of the light beams reflected by theindividual mirror elements so that the light beams are guided to Mpieces of the compartments, in other words, by appropriately overlapping(overlaying) N pieces of the light beams on M pieces of bright spotsmade up by M pieces of the compartments.

At first, the control unit CR reads the information in relation to thepupil intensity distribution 21 as the target from the storage device.Subsequently, the control unit CR calculates what number of light beamsare required respectively to form the intensity distributions for therespective polarization states from the read information in relation tothe pupil intensity distribution 21. Further, the control unit CRvirtually divides the plurality of mirror elements 4 a of the spatiallight modulator 4 into the five mirror element groups S4 a, S4 b, S4 c,S4 d, S4 e each of which is composed of a required number of mirrorelements, and the control unit CR sets the partial areas R4 a to R4 e atwhich the respective mirror element groups S4 a to S4 e are positioned.As a result, the partial areas R2 a to R2 e corresponding to the partialareas R4 a to R4 e of the spatial light modulator 4 are set in thespatial light modulator 2.

The control unit CR drives the mirror elements 2 a positioned in thepartial area R2 a of the spatial light modulator 2 to make the settingso that the light from the partial area R2 a is directed to the pair of½ wavelength plates 51 a of the polarizing member 5. Similarly, thecontrol unit CR drives the mirror elements 2 a positioned in the partialareas R2 b, R2 c, R2 d to make the setting so that the light from thepartial areas R2 b, R2 c, R2 d is directed to the pair of ½ wavelengthplates 51 b, 51 c, 51 d. Further, the control unit CR drives the mirrorelements 2 a positioned in the partial area R2 e to make the setting sothat the light from the partial area R2 e is directed to the depolarizer51 e.

Further, the control unit CR drives the mirror elements 4 a of the firstmirror element group S4 a of the spatial light modulator 4 to make thesetting so that the light from the first mirror element group S4 a isdirected to the surface light sources P11 a, P11 b. Similarly, thecontrol unit CR drives the mirror elements 4 a of the mirror elementgroups S4 b, S4 c, S4 d, S4 e of the spatial light modulator 4 to makethe setting so that the light from the mirror element groups S4 b, S4 c,S4 d, S4 e is directed to the surface light sources P12 a, P12 b; P13 a,P13 b; P14 a, P14 b; P15.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the control unit CR controlsat least one of the spatial light modulators 2, 4 in order to make thepupil intensity distribution on the exit pupil plane of the illuminationoptical system or the projection optical system into the requireddistribution on the basis of the measurement result of at least one ofthe first and second pupil intensity distribution measuring units DTr,DTw.

In this context, in the embodiment described above, in addition to thefirst and second pupil intensity distribution measuring units DTr, DTw,it is also allowable to provide a pupil polarization state distributionmeasuring unit for monitoring the distribution of the pupil polarizationstate in relation to the respective points on the illumination objectivesurface to be illuminated by the illumination optical system (pupilintensity distribution for each polarization state formed at the exitpupil position of the illumination optical system by the light allowedto come into each point) and/or the distribution of the pupilpolarization state in relation to the respective points on the imageplane of the projection optical system PL (pupil intensity distributionfor each polarization state formed at the pupil position of theprojection optical system PL by the light allowed to come into eachpoint).

The control unit CR may control at least one of the spatial lightmodulators 2, 4 in order to make the distribution of the pupilpolarization state on the exit pupil plane of the illumination opticalsystem or the projection optical system into the required distributionon the basis of the measurement result of the pupil polarization statedistribution measuring unit. As for the construction and the function ofthe pupil polarization state distribution measuring unit as describedabove, reference can be made, for example, to United States PatentApplication Publication Nos. 2007/0146676 and 2007/0188730.

In the embodiment described above, the polarizing member 5 isconstructed by the eight (four types of) ½ wavelength plates 51 a to 51d and the depolarizer 51 e, and the polarizing member 5 is arranged inthe parallel manner at the pupil position of the re-imaging opticalsystem 3 or in the vicinity thereof. However, there is no limitationthereto. It is possible to adopt various modified embodiments inrelation to the specified construction of the polarizing member, i.e.,for example, the type, the polarization conversion characteristic, thenumber, the contour (outer shape), and the arrangement of onepolarization element or a plurality of polarization elements for formingthe polarizing member.

For example, as shown in FIG. 11, it is also possible to construct apolarizing member 5A by using eight ½ wavelength plates 52 a, 52 b, 52c, 52 d, 52 e, 52 f, 52 g, 52 h having mutually different polarizationconversion characteristics arranged in a parallel manner in the opticalpath. In the installation condition shown in FIG. 11, the polarizingmember 5A has a contour which is, for example, a circle including theoptical axis AX as the center, and the eight ½ wavelength plates 52 a to52 h having mutually different optic axis directions are arrangedcorresponding to eight sectoral areas divided by line segments extendingin the radial directions of the circle from the optical axis AX.

In FIG. 11, the ½ wavelength plate 52 a, 52 b occupies ¼ of the totalarea, the ½ wavelength plate 52 c, 52 d occupies ⅛ of the total area,and the ½ wavelength plate 52 e to 52 h occupies 1/16 of the total area.The ½ wavelength plate 52 a has the direction of the optic axis which isset so that the light of z direction linear polarization is allowed tooutgo when the light of x direction linear polarization is allowed tocome thereinto. The ½ wavelength plate 52 b has the direction of theoptic axis which is set so that the light of x direction linearpolarization is allowed to outgo without undergoing any change in thepolarization direction when the light of x direction linear polarizationis allowed to come thereinto.

The ½ wavelength plate 52 c has the direction of the optic axis which isset so that the light of +45 degrees oblique direction linearpolarization, which has the polarization direction in the directionobtained by rotating the x direction by +45 degrees clockwise as viewedin FIG. 11, i.e., the +45 degrees oblique direction, is allowed to outgowhen the light of x direction linear polarization is allowed to comethereinto. The ½ wavelength plate 52 d has the direction of the opticaxis which is set so that the light of −45 degrees (or +135 degrees)oblique direction linear polarization is allowed to outgo when the lightof x direction linear polarization is allowed to come thereinto.

The ½ wavelength plate 52 e has the direction of the optic axis which isset so that the light of +22.5 degrees oblique direction linearpolarization is allowed to outgo when the light of x direction linearpolarization is allowed to come thereinto. The ½ wavelength plate 52 fhas the direction of the optic axis which is set so that the light of+67.5 degrees oblique direction linear polarization is allowed to outgowhen the light of x direction linear polarization is allowed to comethereinto. The ½ wavelength plate 52 g has the direction of the opticaxis which is set so that the light of −22.5 degrees (or +112.5 degrees)oblique direction linear polarization is allowed to outgo. The ½wavelength plate 52 h has the direction of the optic axis which is setso that the light of −67.5 degrees (or +157.5 degrees) oblique directionlinear polarization is allowed to outgo.

In the modified embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the effective reflectionarea of the spatial light modulator 2, 4 is virtually divided into eightpartial areas, and an annular pupil intensity distribution 24 as shownin FIG. 12 is formed by the collaboration among the spatial lightmodulators 2, 4 and the polarizing member 5A. That is, the light, whichcomes from the first partial area of the spatial light modulator 2,passes through the ½ wavelength plate 52 a and the first partial area ofthe spatial light modulator 4, and the light is guided to a pair ofcircular arc-shaped pupil areas R41 a, R41 b on the illumination pupilplane, the pupil areas being spaced in the X direction with the opticalaxis AX intervening therebetween, to form substantial surface lightsources P41 a, P41 b.

The light, which comes from the second partial area of the spatial lightmodulator 2, passes through the ½ wavelength plate 52 b and the secondpartial area of the spatial light modulator 4, and the light is guidedto a pair of circular arc-shaped pupil areas R42 a, R42 b on theillumination pupil plane, the pupil areas being spaced in the Zdirection with the optical axis AX intervening therebetween, to formsubstantial surface light sources P42 a, P42 b. The light, which comesfrom the third partial area of the spatial light modulator 2, passesthrough the ½ wavelength plate 52 c and the third partial area of thespatial light modulator 4, and the light is guided to a pair of circulararc-shaped pupil areas R43 a, R43 b on the illumination pupil plane, thepupil areas being spaced in the direction to form 45 degrees withrespect to the +X direction and the +Z direction with the optical axisAX intervening therebetween, to form substantial surface light sourcesP43 a, P43 b.

The light, which comes from the fourth partial area of the spatial lightmodulator 2, passes through the ½ wavelength plate 52 d and the fourthpartial area of the spatial light modulator 4, and the light is guidedto a pair of circular arc-shaped pupil areas R44 a, R44 b on theillumination pupil plane, the pupil areas being spaced in the directionto form 45 degrees with respect to the −X direction and the +Z directionwith the optical axis AX intervening therebetween, to form substantialsurface light sources P44 a, P44 b. The light, which comes from thefifth partial area of the spatial light modulator 2, passes through the½ wavelength plate 52 e and the fifth partial area of the spatial lightmodulator 4, and the light is guided to circular arc-shaped pupil areasR45 a and R45 b on the illumination pupil plane, the pupil area R45 abeing disposed between the pupil areas R42 a and R43 a, the pupil areaR45 b being disposed between the pupil areas R42 b and R43 b, to formsubstantial surface light sources P45 a, P45 b.

The light, which comes from the sixth partial area of the spatial lightmodulator 2, passes through the ½ wavelength plate 52 f and the sixthpartial area of the spatial light modulator 4, and the light is guidedto circular arc-shaped pupil areas R46 a and R46 b on the illuminationpupil plane, the pupil area R46 a being disposed between the pupil areasR41 b and R43 a, the pupil area R46 b being disposed between the pupilareas R41 a and R43 b, to form substantial surface light sources P46 a,P46 b. The light, which comes from the seventh partial area of thespatial light modulator 2, passes through the ½ wavelength plate 52 gand the seventh partial area of the spatial light modulator 4, and thelight is guided to circular arc-shaped pupil areas R47 a and R47 b onthe illumination pupil plane, the pupil area R47 a being disposedbetween the pupil areas R42 a and R44 a, the pupil area R47 b beingdisposed between the pupil areas R42 b and R44 b, to form substantialsurface light sources P47 a, P47 b.

The light, which comes from the eighth partial area of the spatial lightmodulator 2, passes through the ½ wavelength plate 52 h and the eighthpartial area of the spatial light modulator 4, and the light is guidedto circular arc-shaped pupil areas R48 a and R48 b on the illuminationpupil plane, the pupil area R48 a being disposed between the pupil areasR41 a and R44 a, the pupil area R48 b being disposed between the pupilareas R41 b and R44 b, to form substantial surface light sources P48 a,P48 b. Thus, the annular pupil intensity distribution 24 of sixteendivision type, which is in the circumferential direction polarizationstate, is formed.

In the modified embodiment based on the use of the polarizing member 5A,the sixteen pole-shaped pupil intensity distribution in thecircumferential direction polarization state can be formed on theillumination pupil defined just downstream from the micro fly's-eye lens8 by merely controlling the spatial light modulator 4. Further, theannular pupil intensity distribution in the radial directionpolarization state and the sixteen pole-shaped pupil intensitydistribution in the radial direction polarization state can be formed onthe illumination pupil defined just downstream from the micro fly's-eyelens 8 by controlling the spatial light modulator 2.

Specifically, when the pupil intensity distribution in the radialdirection polarization state is formed, then the light allowed to comefrom the first partial area of the spatial light modulator 2 is guidedto the ½ wavelength plate 52 b, the light allowed to come from thesecond partial area is guided to the ½ wavelength plate 52 a, the lightallowed to come from the third partial area is guided to the ½wavelength plate 52 d, and the light allowed to come from the fourthpartial area is guided to the ½ wavelength plate 52 c. Similarly, thelight allowed to come from the fifth partial area of the spatial lightmodulator 2 is guided to the ½ wavelength plate 52 h, the light allowedto come from the sixth partial area is guided to the ½ wavelength plate52 g, the light allowed to come from the seventh partial area is guidedto the ½ wavelength plate 52 f, and the light allowed to come from theeighth partial area is guided to the ½ wavelength plate 52 e.

In the modified embodiment based on the use of the polarizing member 5A,the center pole surface light source, which is substantially in thenon-polarization state, can be also added to the annular or sixteenpole-shaped pupil intensity distribution by controlling the spatiallight modulators 2, 4. When the center pole surface light source isformed, parts of the light allowed to come from the first to eighthpartial areas of the spatial light modulator 4 are superimposed(overlaid) in the center pupil area including the optical axis AX on theillumination pupil defined just downstream from the micro fly's-eye lens8. As a result, the center pole surface light source is in thesubstantial non-polarization state including various linear polarizationcomponents.

In the case of the polarizing member 5A, the relatively large size ofincident area is given to each of the ½ wavelength plates 52 a, 52 b forgenerating the longitudinal polarization and the lateral polarization,the wavelength plates 52 a and 52 b having the relatively high frequencyof use, the average size of incident area is given to each of the ½wavelength plates 52 c, 52 d for generating the 45 degrees obliquepolarization, the wavelength plates 52 c and 52 d having the averagefrequency of use, and the relatively small size of incident area isgiven to each of the other ½ wavelength plates 52 e to 52 h having therelatively low frequency of use. As a result, in the case of thepolarizing member 5A, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of anylocal damage which would be otherwise caused by the radiation of light.Consequently, it is possible to improve the durability of the polarizingmember 5A.

In another exemplary case, as shown in FIG. 13, it is also possible toconstruct a polarizing member 5B, for example, by using a wavelengthplate 53 a which has such a wedge-shaped form that the thickness ischanged continuously (linearly, in a curved form, or in a stepped form)in the x direction, and a correcting plate 53 b which has a wedge-shapedform complementary to the wavelength plate 53 a and which is provided tocompensate the light polarizing action effected by the wavelength plate53 a. In a modified embodiment based on the use of the polarizing member5B shown in FIG. 13, for example, the polarization state of each pupilarea in the annular or multi-pole-shaped pupil intensity distributioncan be set to a desired linear polarization state, a desired ellipticalpolarization state (including a circular polarization state), or asubstantial non-polarization state.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the modified embodiment shown in FIG.11, and the modified embodiment shown in FIG. 13, the polarizing members5, 5A, 5B are constructed by using the wavelength plates. However, thepolarizing member can be also constructed by using, for example, opticalrotation elements (optically active elements) without being limited tothe wavelength plates. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, a polarizingmember 5C, which has the same function as that of the polarizing member5 according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, can be constructed byeight optical rotation elements 54 a, 54 b, 54 c, 54 d and onedepolarizer 54 e.

Each of the optical rotation elements 54 a to 54 d has a form ofparallel flat plate (plane-parallel plate), and is formed of a crystalmaterial which is an optical material having the optical rotationproperty, for example, quartz crystal. The incident surface (incomingsurface) (as well as the outgoing surface) of each of the opticalrotation elements 54 a to 54 d is perpendicular to the optical axis AX,and the crystal optic axis thereof is approximately coincident with thedirection of the optical axis AX (i.e., approximately coincident withthe traveling direction of the incident light). The optical rotationelements 54 a to 54 d have mutually different thicknesses, andconsequently have mutually different polarization conversioncharacteristics. Specifically, the optical rotation elements 54 a to 54d have the same polarization conversion characteristics as those of the½ wavelength plates 51 a to 51 d of the polarizing member 5 shown inFIG. 5, respectively.

That is, as for the optical rotation element 54 a, the thickness in theoptical axis direction is set so that the light of z direction linearpolarization is allowed to outgo when the light of x direction linearpolarization comes thereinto. As for the optical rotation element 54 b,the thickness is set so that the light of x direction linearpolarization is allowed to outgo without undergoing any change in thepolarization direction when the light of x direction linear polarizationcomes thereinto. As for the optical rotation element 54 c, the thicknessis set so that the light of +45 degrees oblique direction linearpolarization is allowed to outgo when the light of x direction linearpolarization comes thereinto. As for the optical rotation element 54 d,the thickness is set so that the light of −45 degrees oblique directionlinear polarization is allowed to outgo when the light of x directionlinear polarization comes thereinto.

Similarly, although not shown in the drawings, a polarizing member,which has the same function as that of the polarizing member 5Aaccording to the modified embodiment shown in FIG. 11, can beconstructed by using eight optical rotation elements having mutuallydifferent polarization conversion characteristics. Further, as shown inFIG. 15, a polarizing member 5D can be constructed by replacing thewavelength plate 53 a of the polarizing member 5B shown in FIG. 13, forexample, with an optical rotation element 55 a having the same form. Inthe modified embodiment based on the use of the polarizing member 5Dshown in FIG. 15, for example, the polarization state of each pupil areain the annular or multi-pole-shaped pupil intensity distribution can beset to a desired linear polarization state or a substantialnon-polarization state.

In general, it is important for the polarizing member to give a changeof a polarization state to a first light beam allowed to pass through afirst area in a plane intersecting the optical axis of the illuminationoptical system, the change of the polarization state being differentfrom that of a second light beam allowed to pass through a second areadifferent from the first area. Therefore, in the polarizing member, aplurality of wedge-shaped wavelength plates having mutually differentpolarization conversion characteristics may be arranged in a parallelmanner in the optical path, or a plurality of wedge-shaped opticalrotation elements having mutually different polarization conversioncharacteristics may be arranged in a parallel manner in the opticalpath. A polarizing member may be constructed by allowing wavelengthplates and optical rotation elements to exist in a mixed manner. Aplurality of types of polarizing members selected from various types ofpolarizing members as described above may be arranged in a serial manneralong the optical path. Respective polarizing members may be arranged ina fixed manner in the optical path, respective polarizing members may beconstructed movably or rotatably, or respective polarizing members maybe constructed exchangeably.

In the foregoing explanation, the arrangement plane of the spatial lightmodulator 4 for pupil formation is arranged at the position opticallyconjugate with the arrangement plane of the spatial light modulator 2for polarization sorting or in the vicinity thereof. The polarizingmember 5 is arranged at the pupil position of the re-imaging opticalsystem 3 or in the vicinity thereof, i.e., the position in an opticalFourier transform relation with the arrangement plane of the spatiallight modulator 2 for polarization sorting or in the vicinity thereof.However, there is no limitation thereto. The arrangement plane of thespatial light modulator for pupil formation can be arranged in the spaceoptically conjugate with the arrangement plane of the spatial lightmodulator for polarization sorting or in the space in an optical Fouriertransform relation with the arrangement plane of the spatial lightmodulator for polarization sorting. The polarizing member can bearranged in the pupil space of the re-imaging optical system. Thepolarizing member can be arranged in the space in an optical Fouriertransform relation with the arrangement plane of the spatial lightmodulator for polarization sorting.

The “space optically conjugate” with the arrangement plane of thespatial light modulator for polarization sorting is the space definedbetween the optical element having the power and arranged adjacently onthe front side of the conjugate position optically conjugate with thearrangement plane of the spatial light modulator for polarizationsorting and the optical element having the power and arranged adjacentlyon the back side of the conjugate position concerned. The “pupil space”of the re-imaging optical system is the space defined between theoptical element having the power and arranged adjacently on the frontside of the pupil position of the re-imaging optical system and theoptical element having the power and arranged adjacently on the backside of the pupil position concerned.

The “space in an optical Fourier transform relation” with thearrangement plane of the spatial light modulator for polarizationsorting is the space defined between the optical element having thepower and arranged adjacently on the front side of the Fourier transformplane in an optical Fourier transform relation with the arrangementplane of the spatial light modulator for polarization sorting and theoptical element having the power and arranged adjacently on the backside of the Fourier transform plane concerned. Any parallel flat plate(plane-parallel plate) and/or any plane mirror having no power may existin the “optically conjugate space”, the “pupil space”, and the “space inan optical Fourier transform relation”.

Therefore, various modified embodiments are available in relation to thearrangement relationship among the spatial light modulator forpolarization sorting, the polarizing member, and the spatial lightmodulator for pupil formation. For example, it is also possible to adoptsuch a construction that the polarizing member and the spatial lightmodulator for pupil formation are arranged in the space in an opticalFourier transform relation with the arrangement plane of the spatiallight modulator for polarization sorting and defined on the illuminationobjective surface side with respect to the spatial light modulator forpolarization sorting.

Specifically, in a modified embodiment shown in FIG. 16, a relay opticalsystem 3 c, which forms the position in an optical Fourier transformrelation with the arrangement plane of the spatial light modulator 2, isarranged in the optical path defined on the mask side (the illuminationobjective surface side) with respect to the spatial light modulator 2for polarization sorting. The polarizing member 5 (5A to 5D) is arrangedin the optical path between the relay optical system 3 c and the spatiallight modulator 4 for pupil formation. The arrangement plane of thespatial light modulator 4 is set at the position in an optical Fouriertransform relation with the arrangement plane of the spatial lightmodulator 2 formed by the relay optical system 3 c or in the vicinitythereof.

FIG. 16 shows the optical path ranging from the spatial light modulator2 for polarization sorting to the micro fly's-eye lens 8, and theconstruction other than that is the same as that shown in FIG. 1. Inanother expression, only the construction, which is provided between thespatial light modulators 2 and 4 shown in FIG. 16, is different from theconstruction shown in FIG. 1. Also in the construction shown in FIG. 16,the relay optical systems 6, 7 constitute the distribution formingoptical system which images the far field pattern, which is formed bythe plurality of mirror elements 4 a of the spatial light modulator 4 inthe far field, onto the position conjugate with the illumination pupildefined just downstream from the micro fly's-eye lens 8 (incidentsurface of the micro fly's-eye lens 8 or in the vicinity thereof), inthe same manner as the construction shown in FIG. 1.

In the modified embodiment shown in FIG. 16, the relay optical system 3c converts the angles given to the outgoing light by the plurality ofmirror elements 2 a of the spatial light modulator 2 into the positionson the incident surface of the polarizing member 5 (5A to 5D) which isthe far field of the spatial light modulator 2 and the positions on thearrangement plane of the spatial light modulator 4 (incident surfaces ofthe plurality of mirror elements 4 a). As a result, also in the modifiedembodiment shown in FIG. 16, it is possible to form the pupil intensitydistribution having the desired shape and the polarization state by thecollaboration among the spatial light modulator 2 for polarizationsorting, the polarizing member 5 (5A to 5D), and the spatial lightmodulator 4 for pupil formation.

In another exemplary case, it is also possible to adopt such aconstruction that the spatial light modulator for pupil formation isarranged in the space in an optical Fourier transform relation with thearrangement plane of the spatial light modulator for polarizationsorting on the light source side with respect to the spatial lightmodulator for polarization sorting, and the polarizing member isarranged in the space in an optical Fourier transform relation with thearrangement plane of the spatial light modulator for polarizationsorting on the illumination objective surface side with respect to thespatial light modulator for polarization sorting.

Specifically, in a modified embodiment shown in FIG. 17, a relay opticalsystem 3 d, which forms the position in an optical Fourier transformrelation with the arrangement plane of the spatial light modulator 4, isarranged in the optical path on the mask side (the illuminationobjective surface side) with respect to the spatial light modulator 4for pupil formation. The arrangement plane of the spatial lightmodulator 2 for polarization sorting is set at the position in anoptical Fourier transform relation with the arrangement plane of thespatial light modulator 4 formed by the relay optical system 3 d or inthe vicinity thereof. A pair of imaging optical systems 12, 13 arearranged in the optical path defined between the spatial light modulator2 and the micro fly's-eye lens 8.

The first imaging optical system 12 is composed of a front side lensgroup 12 a and a back side lens group 12 b, and the first imagingoptical system 12 forms the plane 14 optically conjugate with thearrangement plane of the spatial light modulator 2. The second imagingoptical system 13 is composed of a front side lens group 13 a and a backside lens group 13 b, and the second imaging optical system 13 forms theplane optically conjugate with the conjugate plane 14 on the incidentsurface of the micro fly's-eye lens 8 or in the vicinity thereof. Thepolarizing member 5 (5A to 5D) is arranged in the pupil space of thefirst imaging optical system 12, for example, at the pupil positionbetween the front side lens group 12 a and the back side lens group 12 bor in the vicinity thereof.

FIG. 17 shows the optical path ranging from the spatial light modulator4 for pupil formation to the micro fly's-eye lens 8, and theconstruction other than that is the same as that shown in FIG. 1. Inview of the relationship with the micro fly's-eye lens 8, the back sidelens group 13 b of the second imaging optical system 13 shown in FIG. 17corresponds to the relay optical system 7 shown in FIG. 1, the frontside lens group 13 a of the second imaging optical system 13 and theback side lens group 12 b of the first imaging optical system 12 shownin FIG. 17 correspond to the back side lens group 6 b and the front sidelens group 6 a of the relay optical system 6 shown in FIG. 1, and thepupil plane 6 c shown in FIG. 1 corresponds to the conjugate plane 14.

In the construction shown in FIG. 17, the relay optical system 3 d, thefirst imaging optical system 12, and the second imaging optical system13 constitute the distribution forming optical system which images thefar field pattern, which is formed in the far field of the spatial lightmodulator 4 by the plurality of mirror elements 4 a of the spatial lightmodulator 4, onto the position conjugate with the illumination pupildefined just downstream from the micro fly's-eye lens 8 (incidentsurface of the micro fly's-eye lens 8 or in the vicinity thereof).

In the modified embodiment shown in FIG. 17, the front side lens group12 a of the first imaging optical system 12 converts the angles given tothe outgoing light by the plurality of mirror elements 2 a of thespatial light modulator 2 into the positions on the incident surface ofthe polarizing member 5 (5A to 5D) which is the far field of the spatiallight modulator 2. Further, the relay optical system 3 d converts theangles given to the outgoing light by the plurality of mirror elements 4a of the spatial light modulator 4 into the positions on the arrangementplane of the spatial light modulator 2 (incident surfaces of theplurality of mirror elements 2) which is the far field of the spatiallight modulator 4. As a result, also in the modified embodiment shown inFIG. 17, it is possible to form the pupil intensity distribution havingthe desired shape and the polarization state by the collaboration amongthe spatial light modulator 2 for polarization sorting, the polarizingmember 5 (5A to 5D), and the spatial light modulator 4 for pupilformation.

In the embodiment described above, the spatial light modulator, in whichthe directions (angles, inclinations) of the plurality of reflectingsurfaces arranged two-dimensionally can be individually controlled, isused as the spatial light modulators 2, 4 having the plurality of mirrorelements arranged two-dimensionally and controlled individually.However, there is no limitation thereto. For example, it is alsopossible to use a spatial light modulator in which the heights(positions) of a plurality of reflecting surfaces arrangedtwo-dimensionally can be individually controlled. As for the spatiallight modulator as described above, it is possible to use, for example,spatial light modulators disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,513 and FIG.1d of U.S. Pat. No. 6,885,493. In the case of those spatial lightmodulators, the action or function, which is the same as or equivalentto that of the diffraction surface, can be given to the incident lightby forming the two-dimensional height distribution. The spatial lightmodulator described above, which has the plurality of reflectingsurfaces arranged two-dimensionally, may be modified in accordance withthe disclosure of, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,891,655 and UnitedStates Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0095749.

In the embodiment described above, the spatial light modulator 2, 4 areprovided with the plurality of mirror elements 2 a, 4 a arrangedtwo-dimensionally in the predetermined plane. However, there is nolimitation thereto. It is also possible to use a transmission typespatial light modulator provided with a plurality of transmissionoptical elements arranged in a predetermined plane and controlledindividually.

In the embodiment described above, one spatial light modulator is usedas the spatial light modulator for pupil formation. However, it is alsopossible to use a plurality of spatial light modulators for pupilformation. As for the illumination optical system directed to theexposure apparatus using the plurality of spatial light modulators forpupil formation, it is possible to adopt illumination optical systemsdisclosed, for example, in United States Patent Application PublicationNo. 2009/0109417 and United States Patent Application Publication No.2009/0128886.

In the embodiment described above, a variable pattern forming apparatus,which forms a predetermined pattern on the basis of predeterminedelectronic data, can be used in place of the mask. As for the variablepattern forming apparatus, for example, it is possible to use a spatiallight modulating element including a plurality of reflecting elementsdriven on the basis of predetermined electronic data. An exposureapparatus, which uses the spatial light modulating element, isdisclosed, for example, in United States Patent Application PublicationNo. 2007/0296936. Other than the reflection type spatial light modulatorof the non-light emission type as described above, it is also allowableto use a transmission type spatial light modulator, and it is alsoallowable to use an image display element of the self-light emissiontype.

The exposure apparatus of the embodiment described above is produced byassembling the various subsystems including the respective constitutiveelements as recited in claims of this application so that thepredetermined mechanical accuracy, the electrical accuracy, and theoptical accuracy are maintained. In order to secure the variousaccuracies, those performed before and after the assembling include theadjustment for achieving the optical accuracy for the various opticalsystems, the adjustment for achieving the mechanical accuracy for thevarious mechanical systems, and the adjustment for achieving theelectrical accuracy for the various electrical systems. The steps ofassembling the various subsystems into the exposure apparatus include,for example, the mechanical connection, the wiring connection of theelectric circuits, and the piping connection of the air pressurecircuits among the various subsystems. It goes without saying that thesteps of assembling the respective individual subsystems are performedbefore performing the steps of assembling the various subsystems intothe exposure apparatus. When the steps of assembling the varioussubsystems into the exposure apparatus are completed, the overalladjustment is performed to secure the various accuracies of the entireexposure apparatus. It is also appropriate that the exposure apparatusis produced in a clean room in which, for example, the temperature andthe cleanness are managed.

Next, an explanation will be made about a method for producing thedevice by using the exposure apparatus according to the embodimentdescribed above. FIG. 18 shows a flow chart illustrating steps ofproducing a semiconductor device. As shown in FIG. 18, in the steps ofproducing the semiconductor device, a metal film is vapor-deposited onthe wafer W as the substrate for the semiconductor device (Step S40),and the vapor-deposited metal film is coated with a photoresist which isa photosensitive material (Step S42). Subsequently, a pattern formed onthe mask (reticle) M is transferred to respective shot areas on thewafer W by using the projection exposure apparatus of the embodimentdescribed above (Step S44: exposure step). The development of the waferW for which the transfer is completed, i.e., the development of thephotoresist to which the pattern has been transferred is performed (StepS46: development step).

After that, the processing such as the etching or the like is performedfor the surface of the wafer W by using the resist pattern generated onthe surface of the wafer W in Step S46 as a mask (Step S48: processingstep). In this context, the resist pattern is the photoresist layer inwhich protrusions and recesses having the shapes corresponding to thepattern transferred by the projection exposure apparatus of theembodiment described above are generated, wherein the recesses penetratethrough the photoresist layer. In Step S48, the processing is performedfor the surface of the wafer W via the resist pattern. The processing,which is performed in Step S48, includes, for example, at least one ofthe etching of the surface of the wafer W and the film formation of themetal film or the like. In Step S44, the projection exposure apparatusof the embodiment described above performs the transfer of the patternby using the wafer W coated with the photoresist as the photosensitivesubstrate.

FIG. 19 shows a flow chart illustrating steps of producing a liquidcrystal device such as a liquid crystal display element or the like. Asshown in FIG. 19, in the steps of producing the liquid crystal device, apattern forming step (Step S50), a color filter forming step (Step S52),a cell assembling step (Step S54), and a module assembling step (StepS56) are successively performed. In the pattern forming step of StepS50, a predetermined pattern such as a circuit pattern, an electrodepattern or the like is formed on a plate P which is a glass substratecoated with a photoresist by using the projection exposure apparatus ofthe embodiment described above. The pattern forming step includes anexposure step of transferring the pattern to the photoresist layer byusing the projection exposure apparatus of the embodiment describedabove, a development step of performing the development of the plate Pto which the pattern is transferred, i.e., the development of thephotoresist layer on the glass substrate to generate the photoresistlayer having a shape corresponding to the pattern, and a processing stepof processing the surface of the glass substrate via the developedphotoresist layer.

In the color filter forming step of Step S52, a color filter is formed,in which a large number of dot sets each composed of three dotscorresponding to R (Red), G (Green), and B (Blue) are arranged in amatrix form, or a plurality of filter sets each composed of threestripes of R, G, and B are arranged in the horizontal scanningdirection. In the cell assembling step of Step S54, a liquid crystalpanel (liquid crystal cell) is assembled by using the glass substrate onwhich the predetermined pattern is formed in Step S50 and the colorfilter which is formed in Step S52. Specifically, for example, a liquidcrystal panel is formed by injecting the liquid crystal into the spacebetween the glass substrate and the color filter. In the moduleassembling step of Step S56, various parts including, for example, anelectric circuit and a backlight, which are provided to allow the liquidcrystal panel to perform the displaying operation, are attached to theliquid crystal panel which is assembled in Step S54.

The present invention is not limited to the application to the exposureapparatus for producing the semiconductor device. The present inventionis also widely applicable, for example, to the exposure apparatus forproducing the liquid crystal display device to be formed on therectangular glass plate or the display apparatus such as the plasmadisplay or the like as well as the exposure apparatus for producingvarious devices including, for example, the image pickup device (forexample, CCD), the micromachine, the thin film magnetic head, and theDNA chip. Further, the present invention is also applicable to theexposure step (exposure apparatus) to be used when the mask (forexample, the photomask and the reticle) formed with the mask pattern forvarious devices is produced by using the photolithography step.

In the embodiment described above, the ArF excimer laser light(wavelength: 193 nm) and the KrF excimer laser light (wavelength: 248nm) are used as the exposure light. However, there is no limitationthereto. The present invention is also applicable to any otherappropriate laser light source including, for example, the F₂ laserlight source for supplying the laser beam having a wavelength of 157 nm,the pulse laser light source such as the Ar₂ laser (output wavelength:126 nm), the Kr₂ laser (output wavelength: 146 nm) and the like, theg-ray (wavelength: 436 nm), harmonic generator for the YAG laser, andthe ultra-high pressure mercury lamp for generating the emission linesuch as the i-ray (wavelength: 365 nm) or the like.

For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,023,610, it is alsoappropriate to use the harmonic wave as the vacuum ultraviolet light,the harmonic wave being obtained by amplifying the single wavelengthlaser beam which is in the infrared region or the visible region andwhich is oscillated from the fiber laser or the DFB semiconductor laserwith, for example, a fiber amplifier doped with erbium (or both oferbium and ytterbium) and performing the wavelength conversion toconvert the amplified laser beam into the ultraviolet light by using thenonlinear optical crystal.

In the embodiment described above, it is also appropriate to apply atechnique in which the inside of the optical path defined between theprojection optical system and the photosensitive substrate is filledwith a medium (typically a liquid) having a refractive index larger than1.1, i.e., the so-called liquid immersion method. In this case, thoseadoptable as the technique for filling the inside of the optical pathdefined between the projection optical system and the photosensitivesubstrate with the liquid include, for example, a technique in which theoptical path is locally filled with the liquid such as the techniquedisclosed in International Publication No. WO99/49504, a technique inwhich a stage which holds a substrate as an exposure objective is movedin a liquid bath such as the technique disclosed in Japanese PatentApplication Laid-open No. 6-124873, and a technique in which a liquidpool having a predetermined depth is formed on a stage and a substrateis held therein such as the technique disclosed in Japanese PatentApplication Laid-open No. 10-303114. Without being limited to the above,it is also possible to apply techniques disclosed, for example, inEuropean Patent Application Publication No. 1420298, InternationalPublication No. 2004/055803, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,952,253. Teachings ofInternational Publication No. WO99/49504, Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-open No. 6-124873, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.10-303114, European Patent Application Publication No. 1420298,International Publication No. 2004/055803, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,952,253are incorporated herein by reference.

In the embodiment described above, the projection optical system of theexposure apparatus is not limited to the reduction system, which may beany one of the 1× magnification system and the enlarging (magnifying)system. The projection optical system is not limited to the refractivesystem, which may be any one of the reflection system and thecata-dioptric system. The projected image may be any one of the invertedimage and the erected image.

For example, as disclosed in International Publication No. 2001/035168,the present invention is applicable to an exposure apparatus(lithography system) in which a line-and-space pattern is formed on awafer W by forming interference fringes on the wafer W.

Further, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,611,316, thepresent invention is applicable to an exposure apparatus in which tworeticle patterns are combined (synthesized) on a wafer via a projectionoptical system, and one shot area on the wafer is subjected to thedouble exposure substantially simultaneously by means of one time of thescanning exposure.

In the embodiment described above, the object on which the pattern is tobe formed (object as the exposure objective to be irradiated with theenergy beam), is not limited to the wafer. The object may be any otherobject including, for example, glass plates, ceramic substrates, filmmembers, and mask blanks.

In the embodiment described above, the present invention is applied tothe illumination optical system for illuminating the mask (or the wafer)in the exposure apparatus. However, there is no limitation thereto. Thepresent invention is also applicable to any general illumination opticalsystem for illuminating any illumination objective surface other thanthe mask (or the wafer).

While the particular aspects of embodiment(s) of the ILLUMINATIONOPTICAL ASSEMBLY, EXPOSURE DEVICE, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURE METHODdescribed and illustrated in this patent application in the detailrequired to satisfy 35 U.S.C. §112 is fully capable of attaining anyabove-described purposes for, problems to be solved by or any otherreasons for or objects of the aspects of an embodiment(s) abovedescribed, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that it isthe presently described aspects of the described embodiment(s) of thesubject matter claimed are merely exemplary, illustrative andrepresentative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated bythe claimed subject matter. The scope of the presently described andclaimed aspects of embodiments fully encompasses other embodiments whichmay now be or may become obvious to those skilled in the art based onthe teachings of the Specification. The scope of the presentILLUMINATION OPTICAL ASSEMBLY, EXPOSURE DEVICE, AND DEVICE MANUFACTUREMETHOD is solely and completely limited by only the appended claims andnothing beyond the recitations of the appended claims. Reference to anelement in such claims in the singular is not intended to mean nor shallit mean in interpreting such claim element “one and only one” unlessexplicitly so stated, but rather “one or more”. All structural andfunctional equivalents to any of the elements of the above-describedaspects of an embodiment(s) that are known or later come to be known tothose of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein byreference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Anyterm used in the Specification and/or in the claims and expressly givena meaning in the Specification and/or claims in the present applicationshall have that meaning, regardless of any dictionary or other commonlyused meaning for such a term. It is not intended or necessary for adevice or method discussed in the Specification as any aspect of anembodiment to address each and every problem sought to be solved by theaspects of embodiments disclosed in this application, for it to beencompassed by the present claims. No element, component, or method stepin the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the publicregardless of whether the element, component, or method step isexplicitly recited in the claims. No claim element in the appendedclaims is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112, sixthparagraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase“means for” or, in the case of a method claim, the element is recited asa “step” instead of an “act.”

It will be understood also by those skilled in the art that, infulfillment of the patent statutes of the United States, Applicant(s)has disclosed at least one enabling and working embodiment of eachinvention recited in any respective claim appended to the Specificationin the present application and perhaps in some cases only one.Applicant(s) has used from time to time or throughout the presentapplication definitive verbs (e.g., “is”, “are”, “does”, “has”,“includes” or the like) and/or other definitive verbs (e.g., “produces,”“causes” “samples,” “reads,” “signals” or the like) and/or gerunds(e.g., “producing,” “using,” “taking,” “keeping,” “making,”“determining,” “measuring,” “calculating” or the like), in defining anaspect/feature/element of, an action of or functionality of, and/ordescribing any other definition of an aspect/feature/element of anembodiment of the subject matter being disclosed. Wherever any suchdefinitive word or phrase or the like is used to describe anaspect/feature/element of any of the one or more embodiments disclosedherein, i.e., any feature, element, system, sub-system, process oralgorithm step, particular material, or the like, it should be read, forpurposes of interpreting the scope of the subject matter of whatapplicant(s) has invented, and claimed, to be preceded by one or more,or all, of the following limiting phrases, “by way of example,” “forexample,” “as an example,” “illustratively only,” “by way ofillustration only,” etc., and/or to include any one or more, or all, ofthe phrases “may be,” “can be”, “might be,” “could be” and the like. Allsuch features, elements, steps, materials and the like should beconsidered to be described only as a possible aspect of the one or moredisclosed embodiments and not as the sole possible implementation of anyone or more aspects/features/elements of any embodiments and/or the solepossible embodiment of the subject matter of what is claimed, even if,in fulfillment of the requirements of the patent statutes, Applicant(s)has disclosed only a single enabling example of any suchaspect/feature/element of an embodiment or of any embodiment of thesubject matter of what is claimed. Unless expressly and specifically sostated in the present application or the prosecution of thisapplication, that Applicant(s) believes that a particularaspect/feature/element of any disclosed embodiment or any particulardisclosed embodiment of the subject matter of what is claimed, amountsto the one and only way to implement the subject matter of what isclaimed or any aspect/feature/element recited in any such claim,Applicant(s) does not intend that any description of any disclosedaspect/feature/element of any disclosed embodiment of the subject matterof what is claimed in the present patent application or the entireembodiment shall be interpreted to be such one and only way to implementthe subject matter of what is claimed or any aspect/feature/elementthereof, and to thus limit any claim which is broad enough to cover anysuch disclosed implementation along with other possible implementationsof the subject matter of what is claimed, to such disclosedaspect/feature/element of such disclosed embodiment or such disclosedembodiment. Applicant(s) specifically, expressly and unequivocallyintends that any claim that has depending from it a dependent claim withany further detail of any aspect/feature/element, step, or the like ofthe subject matter of what is claimed recited in the parent claim orclaims from which it directly or indirectly depends, shall beinterpreted to mean that the recitation in the parent claim(s) was broadenough to cover the further detail in the dependent claim along withother implementations and that the further detail was not the only wayto implement the aspect/feature/element claimed in any such parentclaim(s), and thus be limited to the further detail of any suchaspect/feature/element recited in any such dependent claim to in any waylimit the scope of the broader aspect/feature/element of any such parentclaim, including by incorporating the further detail of the dependentclaim into the parent claim.

PARTS LIST

LS: light source, 1: beam sending unit, 2, 4: spatial light modulator,3: re-imaging optical system, 5, 5A to 5D: polarizing member, 51 a to 51d: ½ wavelength plate, 51 e: depolarizer, 6, 7: relay optical system, 8:micro fly's-eye lens, 9: condenser optical system, 10: mask blind, 11:imaging optical system, DTr, DTw: pupil intensity distribution measuringunit, CR: control system, M: mask, MS: mask stage, PL: projectionoptical system, W: wafer, WS: wafer stage.

1. An illumination optical system for illuminating an illuminationobjective surface with light from a light source, the illuminationoptical system comprising: a first spatial light modulator which has aplurality of optical elements arranged on a first plane and controlledindividually; a polarizing member which is arranged in an optical pathon an illumination objective surface side with respect to the firstplane and which gives a change of a polarization state to a first lightbeam passing through a first area in a plane intersecting an opticalaxis of the illumination optical system, the change of the polarizationstate being different from a change of the polarization state given to asecond light beam passing through a second area in the intersectingplane, the second area being different from the first area; and a secondspatial light modulator which has a plurality of optical elementscontrolled individually and arranged on a second plane in the opticalpath on the illumination objective surface side with respect to thefirst plane or in an optical path on a light source side with respect tothe first plane, and which variably forms a light intensity distributionon an illumination pupil of the illumination optical system.
 2. Theillumination optical system according to claim 1, further comprising adistribution forming optical system which is arranged in an optical pathbetween the second plane and the illumination pupil and which images afar field pattern formed in a far field of the second spatial lightmodulator on the illumination pupil or at a position conjugate with theillumination pupil, the far field pattern being formed by the pluralityof optical elements of the second spatial light modulator.
 3. Theillumination optical system according to claim 1, wherein the secondplane, on which the plurality of optical elements of the second spatiallight modulator are arranged, is positioned in a space which isoptically conjugate with the first plane or in a space which is in anoptical Fourier transform relation with the first plane.
 4. Theillumination optical system according to claim 1, wherein the polarizingmember is arranged in a space which is in an optical Fourier transformrelation with the first plane.
 5. The illumination optical systemaccording to claim 1, further comprising: a re-imaging optical systemwhich forms the second plane optically conjugate with the first plane,wherein: the polarizing member is arranged in a pupil space of there-imaging optical system.
 6. The illumination optical system accordingto claim 1, further comprising: a relay optical system which is arrangedin the optical path on the illumination objective surface side withrespect to the first plane and which forms a position that is in anoptical Fourier transform relation with the first plane, wherein: thepolarizing member is arranged in an optical path between the relayoptical system and the second spatial light modulator.
 7. Theillumination optical system according to claim 6, wherein the secondplane, on which the plurality of optical elements of the second spatiallight modulator are arranged, is set at the position that is in anoptical Fourier transform relation with the first plane, the positionbeing formed by the relay optical system.
 8. The illumination opticalsystem according to claim 1, further comprising: a relay optical systemwhich is arranged in an optical path on an illumination objectivesurface side with respect to the second plane and which forms a positionthat is in an optical Fourier transform relation with the second plane,wherein: the first spatial light modulator is arranged in an opticalpath between the relay optical system and the polarizing member.
 9. Theillumination optical system according to claim 8, further comprising adistribution forming optical system which is arranged in an optical pathbetween the second plane and the illumination pupil and which images afar field pattern formed in a far field of the second spatial lightmodulator on the illumination pupil or at a position conjugate with theillumination pupil, the far field pattern being formed by the pluralityof optical elements of the second spatial light modulator, wherein therelay optical system is a part of the distribution forming opticalsystem.
 10. The illumination optical system according to claim 8,wherein the first plane, on which the plurality of optical elements ofthe first spatial light modulator are arranged, is set at the positionthat is in an optical Fourier transform relation with the second plane,the position being formed by the relay optical system.
 11. Theillumination optical system according to claim 1, wherein the polarizingmember has a first wavelength plate which changes the first light beaminto light in a first polarization state and a second wavelength platewhich is arranged in a parallel manner with respect to the firstwavelength plate and which changes the second light beam into light in asecond polarization state.
 12. The illumination optical system accordingto claim 11, wherein the polarizing member further includes adepolarizer which is arranged in a parallel manner with respect to thefirst wavelength plate and the second wavelength plate and whichdepolarizes light incident thereto and emits the depolarized light. 13.The illumination optical system according to claim 1, wherein thepolarizing member has a wavelength plate having such a form that athickness is continuously changed in a predetermined direction.
 14. Theillumination optical system according to claim 1, wherein the polarizingmember has a first optical rotation element which changes the firstlight beam into light in a first polarization state and a second opticalrotation element which is arranged in a parallel manner with respect tothe first optical rotation element and which changes the second lightbeam into light in a second polarization state.
 15. The illuminationoptical system according to claim 1, wherein the polarizing member hasan optical rotation member which is formed of an optical material havingoptical rotation property and which has such a form that a thickness iscontinuously changed in a predetermined direction.
 16. The illuminationoptical system according to claim 1, wherein the polarizing member isconstructed to be exchangeable.
 17. The illumination optical systemaccording to claim 1, further comprising an optical integrator, whereinthe polarizing member is arranged in an optical path between the firstspatial light modulator and the optical integrator.
 18. The illuminationoptical system according to claim 17, further comprising a distributionforming optical system which is arranged in an optical path between thesecond plane and the optical integrator and which images a far fieldpattern formed in a far field of the second spatial light modulator onan incident surface of the optical integrator or in vicinity thereof,the far field pattern being formed by the plurality of optical elementsof the second spatial light modulator.
 19. The illumination opticalsystem according to claim 2, wherein the distribution forming opticalsystem converts a distribution in an angle direction of outgoing lightbeams outgo from the second spatial light modulator, into a positiondistribution on a cross section of outgoing light beams outgoing fromthe distribution forming optical system.
 20. The illumination opticalsystem according to claim 1, wherein the second spatial light modulatorhas a plurality of mirror elements which are arranged two-dimensionallyin the second plane, and a driving unit which individually controls anddrives attitudes of the plurality of mirror elements.
 21. Theillumination optical system according to claim 20, wherein the drivingunit changes directions of the plurality of mirror elements continuouslyor discretely.
 22. The illumination optical system according to claim20, wherein in a case that a group of the mirror elements of theplurality of mirror elements positioned in a first area on the secondplane are designated as a first mirror element group, and that a groupof the mirror elements of the plurality of mirror elements positioned ina second area on the second plane different from the first area aredesignated as a second mirror element group, the driving unit controlsand drives the first mirror element group so that the light, whichpasses through the first mirror element group, is guided to a firstpupil area on an optical Fourier transformation plane of the secondplane, and the driving unit controls and drives the second mirrorelement group so that the light, which passes through the second mirrorelement group, is guided to a second pupil area on an optical Fouriertransformation plane of the second plane.
 23. The illumination opticalsystem according to claim 1, wherein the illumination optical system isused in combination with a projection optical system which forms a planeoptically conjugate with the illumination objective surface, and theillumination pupil is positioned at a position which is opticallyconjugate with an aperture diaphragm of the projection optical system.24. An exposure apparatus comprising the illumination optical system asdefined in claim 1 for illuminating a predetermined pattern, wherein aphotosensitive substrate is exposed with the predetermined pattern. 25.The exposure apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising aprojection optical system which forms an image of the predeterminedpattern on the photosensitive substrate, wherein the illumination pupilis positioned at a position optically conjugate with an aperturediaphragm of the projection optical system.
 26. A method for producing adevice, comprising: exposing a photosensitive substrate with thepredetermined pattern by using the exposure apparatus as defined inclaim 24: developing the photosensitive substrate to which thepredetermined pattern is transferred so that a mask layer, which has ashape corresponding to the predetermined pattern, is formed on a surfaceof the photosensitive substrate; and processing the surface of thephotosensitive substrate via the mask layer.